Harvest Time 2009!
Harvest Time 2009! Can you believe it? Summer is almost over already! Kids are going back to school. Football has started. A lot of hay and grass silage is already in, and raspberry season is finished as well. Raspberry crop wasn’t a record but it was a good crop. Prices were decent as well. The blueberry crop looks good too, but the blueberry price is so bad that some may have trouble justifying the picking cost.
The hottest, driest summer I can remember since moving here in 1980. Over 2 months without any rain worth measuring in Lynden. Last rain was Memorial Day night. The 2 inches we got a couple weeks ago was a real blessing. It saved a lot of corn, and will make a decent crop now. Everything with irrigation looks exceptionally well because all of the heat units, seed potatoes look really good too. Should be an early harvest on all remaining crops.
We have over 15 used self-propelled choppers for sale. According to our web site we have 8 pull-type including some late models with kernel processors. Most have been traded on new Claas and that means they qualify for 0% interest as Claas trades.
So why has the Claas chopper been so popular? Claas builds choppers for a living. Forage Harvesters is what they are. The word “chopper” is farmer slang. We are going to try to use the words forage harvester instead. In our effort to get computer friendly we are being forced to use the word “forage harvester”. If you google the word “chopper” the first thing you get is a “customized Harley Davidson motorcycle”. I thought I owned a “chopper” before I was married, but I guess because I “chopped” out a Honda and not a Harley it didn’t qualify. I know what you are thinking...I wasn’t trying to be a member of the “gang”.
The next thing you come up with when you google “chopper” is a “military helicopter”. So you see the word is well known for everything except for what a farmer knows a “chopper” for. So, in the computer world “forage harvester” is going to get a lot better results. But you know, it’s not going to catch on because it’s two words and too many letters. Sorry, Harley Davidson when you eat what our choppers eat and you can have the word back!
So what else sets Claas apart? Their design. It works! A proven belt design efficiently transfers power to the cutter head, no expensive gearboxes. Also the way the kernel processor rolls in and out, the Chevron knives, the way the shear bar adjusts and is held in the middle, the ease to get at components. Claas’ design is so good, that now 14 years later all of Claas’ competitors are copying or trying to copy or imitate Claas’ design. Today Claas still sharpens faster, cost less per ton chopped, processes better without plugging, has an onboard inoculant system, air compressor standard, and 25 m.p.h. standard. The only pick up with independent, ground following pickup teeth and an exclusive auger lift, and a rotary corn head that picks up downed corn like none other.
You know what’s the most interesting, Claas introduced a whole new model line last year. It is the Claas Jaguar series 930 thru 980 with a bigger cab, nicer electronics, in-cab adjustable blower gap, a new knife design, more power with a twin engine model up to 830 Hp! Yet even with the new fancy models the old models are still available and still selling. In fact I already placed our orders for next year and I ordered just as many old models as I did new models! Two years later there is still a good demand for the old model! All of Claas’ competitors would have had to seriously discount their old models when they introduced a new model. Very unusual, speaks volumes of Claas’ reputation in the “chopper” business. Ask someone who owns one, they’re our best salesman.
Showing and demonstrating a New Claas twin engine 980 Jaguar with an Orbis 750 10 row corn head is a thrill! But as impressive and unique as the new Claas is, my favorite demo still is the JCB 8250 Fastrac. The JCB 8250 Fastrac has 280 Hp, lots of power! The I.V.T. transmission is unbelievably easy to drive. Just as easy as your car! It goes 42 m.p.h. effortlessly. It is quiet and smooth. At 42 m.p.h. it rides better than most pick-ups! The neatest thing about demonstrating it is the HUGE cab! It has a full size passenger seat! You can actually ride along without feeling like your in the way or feeling like your sitting on top of the driver. It’s comfortable and fun! Do you realize that in 2 years we sold nine JCB 8250 Fastracs locally? No one else has sold that many 280 Hp tractors. You need to drive one and then you’ll know why.
JCB just introduced the all New JCB 7230 Fastrac. It has 230 Hp. A kid brother to the 8250 and it’s kind of a kick to drive. It has a manual transmission that automatically shifts, another JCB exclusive. So it drives and looks like the 8250, but priced a little less. We have Claas’ all new triple mowers setup on one, we’d love to demo it to you.
Kubota just introduced an all new KX121-3 10,000lb excavator, with a new Kubota exclusive hydraulic angle and TILT blade. The Kubota KX-80 19,000lb excavator is available with a hydraulic angle blade now as well! So why are Kubota excavators so popular? It is all Kubota! Kubota is one of the few to build their own engine, have their own factory Q-fit, their own thumb, their own cab and AC ( that keeps working), their own designed rubber tracks that last longer, and the list goes on. The thumb control is on the joystick, thumb mounts are standard. Resale value is excellent and quality is evident everywhere. Most of our competitors only offer zero tail swing units, Kubota offers both. Kubota’s “U” series are zero tail swing, but our original “K” series still outsells them 20 to 1 because of better performance and better “crane over” on the side of the machine. Hard to knock what works. So what is the number one feature? They’re already Tier 4 compliant and unbelievably QUIET! Demo one or rent one today!
You berry growers need to check out Kubota’s all new narrow 8540 Track Tractor with 85 Hp, cab, and AC that keeps working. This tractor is a Kubota exclusive.
Claas Rollant Balers have been selling really well up and down the coast. They will literally bale about everything wet or dry. Round bale silage is getting more popular every year. To give you more options in wrapping we are happy to announce we are dealers for Anderson wrappers. They came out and trained us on both the Anderson individual wrapper and the Anderson in-line wrapper. We have self -contained and tractor power models in stock. We would love to demo one to you. Ask about renting the in-line wrapper.
What else is new at Scholten’s Equipment? Katie Benston our receptionist in Burlington was married to Zeke Hargett August 8th and they’re off to the Big Island for an 11 day honeymoon in Kona, Hawaii September 1st. Tom Postma, one of our Lynden parts guys will wed his fiance Amanda Hughes September 12th. Best wishes to Katie and Zeke and to Tom and Amanda. In other news Troy Stap graduated from Nooksack High School last spring and is headed for Bellingham Tech School for diesel mechanics this fall. David Marshall has decided to take a permanent full time position here at Scholten’s Equipment after graduating from Bellingham Technical College last June, and we couldn’t be happier.
What’s really new at Scholten’s Equipment is everybody is working really hard to keep their job! Everyone is busting their butts to make sure you do your business here.
Our year-end is October 31st. 2009 will be the first year since 1982, when Scholten’s Equipment was born, that our sales volume has declined. I have never seen the dairy business and construction this dismal before, and at the same time! But I am pretty optimistic, we’ve seen some increased activity the last couple of weeks. My prayer is that we don’t have to lay anyone off. We haven’t yet and never have before. The last time we came close to layoffs was the winter of 2000.
Our web site has been awesome, people are looking for deals. You need to check www.scholtensequipment.com out. In the last 30 days we’ve delivered:
JCB TLT35 Teletruck to..........Thurston, NE
John Deere 8430 Tractor to......Dubuque, IA
JCB 214s Backhoe to...............Witchita, KS
John Deere 843 Corn head to....Boardman, OR
JCB 8250 Fastrac to..................Lodi, CA
Claas 900 Chopper to............Kalamath Falls, OR
JCB 541 Loadall to....................Armstrong B.C.
John Deere 6850 Chopper to ....Springfield, MO. So we know our prices are good!
Did you see our “Hit List”? Our year-end clearance sale, what really is our “Been Here too Long Sale”! There is over 10 items that are new! Most are priced thousands of dollars below cost! The used items are, as well. We are serious about moving everything that has been here too long. Even stuff not on the list. Look at the prices some new have 0% financing. Claas trades also qualify for 0% financing, all the rest qualify for 3.8% financing. Interest rates will never be cheaper, and yes we take trades.
Our banker won’t loan us any more money. We have to sell and reduce our inventory. Our loss is your gain. Most items will only have one at that price!
I’m surprised, there hasn’t been more of an uproar over the GM and Chrysler dealers that the government demanded to be terminated, as a prerequisite to receiving bail out money. Those terminated dealers had nothing to do with GM’s or Chrysler’s profitability or lack there of. How stupid to cancel them! So what’s the result? Fewer dealers, loss of jobs. Some towns the size of ours no longer have a dealership.
So what is their objective? Fewer and bigger dealers. They want to follow the “Caterpillar” model and only have one or two dealers principals per state. (the green and the red boys have been pushing the same thing) Why? With less competition, it’s easier to raise prices and charge more. Result, the customer and consumer loses. Is this what we want the government to do? Who are they looking out for? You? I don’t think so. Those small profitable GM and Chrysler dealers, now shut down, had nothing to do with the profitability of GM or Chrysler. Isn’t it interesting how Uncle Sam can’t run his own business effectively, but is able to dictate to others how to run theirs?
“Cash for Clunkers” a great deal if you needed a new car and you have one that just blew-up. They even have a “Cash for Smokers” in California where they are paying, so much per horsepower, to take non-compliant diesel tractors out of the field. I don’t blame anyone taking advantage of these programs.
Let me share a different perspective. I grew up on a farm with 6 siblings. Dad could never afford a new vehicle. I have memories of discussions, that took place around the table, about “so and so” who got a shiny new car. Of course they always drove the new car to church on Sunday, when all nine of us were packed in a car designed for six. It was easy to be jealous. So now our government is going to borrow money, it doesn’t have, that most likely will have to be paid back by our kids and grandchildren, and give $4,500 to people who can afford to buy a new car. Does that make sense to you?
Don’t forget about our year-end sale. Check that “Hit List”. I’ve committed to our faithful employees to write this newsletter more often, in an effort to keep everyone employed
We do appreciate your business and patronage.